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Biomedical subjects

A J Finch

Publications and source records attributed to A J Finch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Human figure drawings: validity in assessing intellectual level and academic achievement.

In a sample of 216 child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients, significant but low correlations were found between Goodenough-Harris (GH) drawing scores and both Full Scale IQs and academic achievement. The percentage of subjects correctly classified in appropriate IQ categories ranged from 35 to 44%; the percentage of misclassified subjects ranged from 56 to 65%. Consideration of visual-motor integration, using the Bender-Gestalt, did not improve the accuracy of G-H scores in predicting IQ scores in this sample. These results indicate that human figure drawings should not be substituted for other well-established intelligence and achievement tests nor used as an additional measure of these constructs when one is evaluating psychiatric patients.

Achievement↗
PubMed1992

Relations among self-reported depressive symptoms in clinic-referred children versus adolescents.

Although there is consensus regarding the existence of childhood depression, disagreement remains as to whether symptoms are developmentally isomorphic. Previous studies focused on developmental differences in symptom levels; analyses of relations among symptoms may be more appropriate, however. Here both approaches were used to compare the Children's Depression Inventory responses from 1,030 clinic-referred children and adolescents. Four of nine symptom categories showed significant developmental differences in their correlations with total score. Externalizing behavior and guilt were more strongly related to depression in children than adolescents; affective symptoms and concerns about the future showed the reverse pattern. Results illustrate the importance of considering relations among symptoms as well as differences in symptom levels when evaluating theoretical claims about developmental differences in the nature of clinical syndromes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Short form and factor-analytic studies of the WISC-R with behavior problem children.

Two analyses of the WISC-R protocols of 100 children referred for behavioral problems in school were conducted to study (a) the utility of a variety of WISC short forms and (b) the factor structure of the WISC-R. Although the correlations between short form and WISC-R IQs were highly significant, mean differences and a high percentage of IQ classification changes indicated that the short forms were not acceptable WISC-R substitutes. Different factor analyses consistently evidenced two factors, Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Organization, which corresponded perfectly to the Verbal and Performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Analyses of changes in verbal behavior following a cognitive-behavioral treatment for impulsivity.

Analyses were conducted to examine further the results of a cognitive-behavioral treatment for impulsivity in emotionally disturbed children (Kendall & Finch, 1978). The verbal behaviors of treated impulsive children, impulsive controls, and reflective children, recorded during MFF performance at pretreatment, posttreatment, and follow-up, were examined. The results indicated nonsignificant effects for several specific codes; however, the impulsive children that had received treatment evidenced a significant increase in total on-task verbal behavior at posttreatment. Discussion includes a consideration of these findings in regard to the efficacy of the cognitive-behavioral treatment and the need for research on the assessment of cognitive variables in children.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1978

Effects of task difficulty on state-trait anxiety in emotionally disturbed children.

In order to investigate the effects of a difficult vs. easier task on state-trait anxiety in emotionally disturbed children (N = 30 boys and girls), older (mean age 12.81) and younger (mean age 9.89) groups were exposed to two lists of nonsense syllables, varying on meaningfulness (0% vs. 100%) with measures of A-State and A-Trait anxiety being obtained during a no-stress period and immediately after each list. The results indicated that the younger group did not show any difference in A-State following the two lists, while the older group showed significantly more A-State increase following the difficult list. Results were discussed in terms of previous research, and in terms of possible explanations for the differences between the reactions of the older and younger children.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1977

Anxiety and mood states in delinquent adolescents.

Studied the relationship between state-trait anxiety and mood states in deliquents by giving the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) (Spielberger, 1973) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) (McNair, Lorr, & Droppleman, 1971) to 41 behavior problem adolescents who were residents of a facility for youthful offenders. Results indicated that males and females did not differ significantly. The A-State portion of the STAIC was correlated significantly with the Vigor-Activity and Anger-Hostility portions of the POMS as well as the Total Mood Disturbance index. On the other hand, the A-Trait portion of the STAIC was correlated significantly with the Depression-Dejection, the Tension-Anxiety, and the Fatigue-Inertia portions of the POMS as well as the Total Mood Disturbance index. Findings were discussed in terms of their relationship to previous research and in terms of the differences in conception of affective states presented by Spielberger (1973) and McNair et al. (1971).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Proxemics, locus of control, anxiety, and type of movement in emotionally disturbed and normal boys.

In order to determine the interpersonal distancing requirements for emotionally disturbed and normal children and in order to investigate the relationship of locus of control and anxiety to interpersonal space, 20 emotionally disturbed and 20 normal boys were randomly required to approach an object person and to let the object person approach them until they felt uncomfortable. Results indicated that emotionally disturbed boys required more space than normals; that subjects would approach closer than they would allow the object person to approach them; and that externals required more space than internals. There were no significant differences between high and low anxious subjects, nor between emotionally disturbed children diagnostically classified as overanxious reaction and those with other diagnosis. Finally, neither anxiety nor locus of control explained the significant normal-emotionally disturbed differences in space requirements. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed as well as the relationship between the present and previous research.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1976

Reflection-impulsivity and behavioral problems in emotionally disturbed boys.

In order to investigate the difference in the behavioral problems presented by cognitively impulsive and reflective emotionally disturbed boys, the parents of 17 impulsive and 13 reflective boys in residential treatment were asked to rate their sons' behavior. Results indicated that in contrast to reflective emotionally disturbed boys, impulsives were more likely to talk of others blaming them unfairly, threaten to harm themselves, hit and bully other children, and be excessively rough in play. On the other hand, reflectives were more unwilling to talk with adults outside the family. Results were discussed in terms of supporting both previous research and Kagan and Kogan's (6) "fear of failure" hypothesis.

Achievement↗
PubMed1976

Reflection-impulsivity and need for achievement in emotionally disturbed children.

Reflection-impulsivity is the cognitive dimension proposed by Kagan and his colleagues to describe the differences in children's resolution to response uncertainty. Impulsive children tend to respond quickly without considering all of the available alternatives and consequently make many mistakes. Reflecttive children consider all of the available alternatives, withhold responding until they have a high probability of being correct, and consequently make few mistakes. The primary dynamic underlying a reflective cognitive style is hypothesized to be a fear of making a mistake: the greater the fear, the more reflective the child is and the more cautiously he performs. On the other hand, minimal anxiety over a potentially inaccurate answer is likely to result in an impulsive performance.

Achievement↗
PubMed1976

Factor specific differences in locus of control for emotionally disturbed and normal children.

The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children was given to 20 normal and 20 emotionally disturbed children to investigate the differences between the two groups on self-reported locus of control. The locus of control score and scores for each separate factor were calculated. Separate analyses of variance indicated that emotionally disturbed children did not differ from normals on overall locus of control nor on four of the five factors. However, one factor, Helplessness, differentiated the two groups with emotionally disturbed children endorsing more Helplessness items. The results are discussed in terms of factor specific methodology and in regards to the clinical relevance of Helplessness as a key factor.

Affective Symptoms↗